Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

ALDEN B. BRIGGS, OF SOUTH DEFRFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND DEXTER OHILDS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESILERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4 [,566, dated February 9, 1864.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, ALDEN B. Barees, of South Deerfield, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in HarvestingMachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a side elevation, representing the machine in the position of a mower. Fig. II is a plan of the same. Fig. IIIis a transverse section of the cutting apparatus.

Letters of like name and kind refer to lik parts in each of the figures.

The machine has two driving-wheels, A, which run loosely upon the axle B. It also has two framesan outside frame, shown at O, and an inside frame, shown at D. Both of these frames are supported upon and have a rigid connection to the axle of the drivingwheels. The gearing is supported upon the outside frame.

E is the main driving-shaft. Upon each end of thisshaftisadriving-pinion, F, which meshes with the internal gear, G, ofthe driving-wheels.

H is a multiplying-wheel, and I clutch-gear upon the same shaft.

M is a metallic fork, which is hinged to the outside frame, as shown at m. The fork end works in a groove in the movable part of the clutch, as shown at W.

N is a reversing-lever, which is connected by a fulcrum-bolt to the cross-timber 0 of the outside frame.

1 and I are rods, which connect the forks M to the reversing-lever N. One of these rods connects one fork to the lever below the fulcrum-bolt and the other connects the other fork to the lever above the fulcrum-bolt, so that the driver by moving this lever with his hand right or left will throw the clutch in or out of gear at pleasure when the machine is in motion.

Q is the crank-shaft, which is supported in appropriate journals upon the outside frame. It hasabevel-piniomIt, on its upper end, which meshes with the multiplyingwheel, and a crank-wheel, It, on its lower end.

B is the connecting-rod, which is qnitelong and of easy working-pitch.

chine to or from the field.

The finger-bar is represented at S, and the guard-fingers at S. The finger-bar is connected to the outside frame by a single elbow-joint, as shown at T, which is so constructed as to allow the finger-bar and cutters to fold over on the machine, as shown by the dotted lines S when it is desirable to transport the ma- The simplicity of the construction of this single joint and its adaptability to the purpose designed renders it a very important improvement in this class of machines. The finger-bar crosses the draftpole when folded, so as to bind the two frames together for traveling from field to field.

The cutting apparatus is of peculiar construction. The guard-fingers areopen top. A set of steel cutters (shown in section at a, Fig. III) are made fast to the guards and form a set of stationary cutters, with which the vibrating cutters act to form the shear cut.

The vibrating cutters are shown in section at a, Fig. III, and are made fast to the cutterbar, which is shown in section at to, Fig. III. The base end of the vibrating cutters is allowed to project in rear of the cutter-bar, as shown at c, in order to form a rear support and prevent the cutters from bounding or tip ping as they pass over the stationary cutters. There is asteel bearingpiece running the whole length of the finger-bar, as shown at m, Fig. III, to support the cutters in rear of the cutter-bar, and upon which the cutters will slide with but little friction. There is a groove made lengthwise of the finger-bar for the reception of the cutter-bar, and in which the cutter-bar works, as shown at y, Fig. I. S represents a metallic plate, which is screwed onto the finger-bar and laps onto the vibrating cutters and holds them close to their work. This manner of construction makes a very perfect cutting apparatus. The rear bearing, already described, causes the vibrating cutters to run very smooth and steady, and the metallic plate S prevents dirt and clogging matter from working under the cutter-bar, and also holds the cutters snugly to their work. A hearingwheel is connected to the inside shoe, which is shown at Z.

Z is the draft-pole, which is attached to the inside frame and communicates thedraft directly to the axle of the driving-wheels and leaves the outside frame free to oscillate, and

thereby allows the finger-bar and cutting apparatus to conform to the uneven surface of the ground over which the machine passes.

J is a segment, which is jointed to the inside frame with a chain, J, connecting it to the outside frame, so that the driver, by pulling upon the handle J may, as desired, lift the cutting apparatus from the ground in order to pass over obstructions. The ratchetbar J will hold the segment in the position required.

K is the drivers seat, which may be located at any desirable point on the inside frame within easy reach-of the lever N at vhis left hand, and the handle J at his right hand and so as to insurea proper balanceof the machine.

K is a bent bar, which is attached to the cross-piece O. Ithas ratchet-teeth on the edge in order to hold theleverN in place,andthereby the clutches in or out of gear.

In a harvesting-machine having two driving-wheels, a compound frame consisting of an outside frame and an inside frame, and both frames connected to the axle of the drivingwheels, the finger-bar being attached to the outside frame and located forward of the driving-wheels, and the draft-pole being attached to the inside frame so that when the fingerbar is folded it will cross the draft-pole and hold the two frames together, as setforth.

ALDEN B. BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

W. D. BATES, SARAH E. ARMS, BOsIE S. BATES. 

